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Design And Redesign Of A Bottom Trawl Survey In Chesapeake Bay, Usa, Robert J. Latour, James Gartland, Christopher F. Bonzek

VIMS Articles

Fisheries-independent surveys that reliably sample a broad size range of exploited and ecologically important species provide valuable data in support of fisheries management and ecosystem science. The operational consistency of surveys over time and space is fundamental to the interpretation of data in the contexts of population dynamics processes, community interactions, policy impacts, and environmental forcing. However, the need to maintain historic sampling protocols over extended time periods limits the utilization of new technologies that could lead to improved data collection. Survey vessel replacements also become inevitable as the maturity of sampling programs becomes multidecadal. This case study describes the …